


I See Things That Nobody Else Sees

by AisforAWKWARD



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Spoilers, Bruce and Thor Stay, Emotional Trauma, F/M, False Happiness, Pre-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 12:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4919755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AisforAWKWARD/pseuds/AisforAWKWARD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers wake up to perfect lives. The world is saved, they have families, and there are monthly Avenger reunions. Everything is perfect until Wanda realizes that nothing they see is real and they're simply being used by a powerful villain. Cue the emotional trauma!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first post-AoU story! I'm really excited for you guys to read this one because Wanda's a really interesting character to play with. So here's what you need to know:
> 
> Characters: mainly Wanda but everyone is here
> 
> Rating: it really could be K+ 1/2, so I went with T to be safe
> 
> Warnings: none you should be too concerned of. Just spoilers for AoU
> 
> Pairings: Clint/Laura, Pepper/Tony, Sharon/Steve, Thor/Jane, and Bruce/Natasha. So canon pairings basically
> 
> Disclaimer: You know I own nothing
> 
> So that's about it from me. Enjoy the story and feel free to drop a kudos/comment!

The morning sun peered through the scarlet curtains and danced across Wanda's face, waking her from her slumber. She lazily opened her eyes and blinked a few times in confusion. The room she was in was not her own – at least, she didn't think it was. She felt an odd sense of familiarity when she looked more closely at her surroundings, as if the room was a part of a dream she no longer remembered. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. 

"Wanda, you must get up now if we are to get there on time," a voice – a voice Wanda knew and loved – said in a tone that let her know he was excited for something. She hadn't heard that voice in far too long, but for some reason she couldn't remember why. 

The door swung open, and Wanda felt a sudden jerk. She blinked a few times while she steadied herself and realized that she had been moved from her spot under the covers. She was now standing, and her bed had been neatly made. 

"Now will you please get ready?" Pietro pleaded impatiently. 

Wanda froze. Something was very wrong. Pietro wasn't supposed to be there. He couldn't be. He was gone. 

At least, she thought he was. What had happened to make her believe that? She searched frantically through her memories but couldn't find anything that would explain things. 

"Are you okay, Wanda?" Pietro asked, the impatience in his voice replaced completely by concern. He brushed the hair away from her face and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. Wanda looked into her brother's eyes for a moment. They certainly seemed real. Could she have been wrong? 

_It was just a dream_ , a voice in her mind said suddenly. _Everything is okay._

Of course she had been wrong. He was standing right in front of her, wasn't he? 

"I am fine, Pietro," she heard herself say, "I must have had a bad dream." 

Her brother looked unconvinced. "Are you sure? Because if you do not feel like going today, I'm sure the others will understand." 

"I want to go. I promise I am all right," Wanda assured with a small smile. She wasn't exactly sure where they were supposed to be going, but she didn't want to worry her brother further. 

"Okay," he relented. "You'd better get in the shower then. I will have breakfast ready by the time you are finished." 

Once Pietro shut the door, Wanda took a deep breath. "It was just a dream," she whispered without thinking. "Everything is okay." It was strange, but the more she repeated the mantra, the calmer she felt. In fact, soon she couldn't remember being upset at all. She even recalled where she and her brother were going. They and their fellow Avengers had a party of some kind at least once a month. It was something they both always looked forward to. Why had she not remembered? 

Deciding she would feel better after she had a hot shower and some breakfast, Wanda headed towards her bathroom. After she had cleaned up and gotten dressed, she found her way to the kitchen where she found Pietro waiting for her patiently at the table. He presented her with a plate of scrambled eggs and a piece of toast, along with a glass of orange juice. 

"Did you get enough to eat?" Wanda asked out of habit. Growing up, she and her brother often did not have enough food. There had been many times where Pietro had eaten very little or not at all so Wanda would have plenty. She had hated it and had always tried to refuse extra food from him, but he was as stubborn as he was overprotective. Even now when they had plenty of food Pietro had a tendency to not eat as much as he needed, which with his enhanced metabolism was a very dangerous thing. He needed almost five times as much food as a normal man to keep him going, and that was if he wasn't using his powers a lot. 

"I ate three eggs, two pieces of toast, and five waffles. Does that satisfy you?" he smirked. Wanda rolled her eyes and took another sip of juice. She still couldn't believe her brother had started eating waffles for breakfast. What would their mother have said? Wanda thought back to when she and her brother were little. It was a rare treat when their mother allowed them to eat a waffle topped with their favorite fruit, and even then they usually had to eat a plate of vegetables for dinner in order to earn it. 

Once she had finished eating, Pietro cleared the table then retrieved a set of car keys from a desk drawer. 

Wanda raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you drive?" 

"I've been driving for years," Pietro said with a confused look on his face. "I learned when Tony bought us the car and our house. You know this, Wanda. Are you sure you're alright?" 

Sudden images of Stark presenting the keys to a nice sports car and a beautiful house to them with a huge, flashy smile flooded Wanda's mind. Of course she knew that. How could she have forgotten? 

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay,_ her mind told her repeatedly. 

She managed to smile at her brother. "Part of my brain must still be asleep. I am fine now. Shall we get going?" 

To her surprise, Pietro didn't press her any further. Instead, he smiled and opened the door that led into the garage. Wanda saw the stunning red Jaguar and couldn't believe she didn't remember a car like that. Once they were both seated inside, her brother inserted the key into the ignition, and the engine roared to life. 

Pietro sighed happily. "I never get tired of hearing that sound." 

"So who is hosting this month?" Wanda asked once they were on the road. 

"Thor and Jane. He just got this big new grill, and I understand he's very anxious to use it," he replied with a chuckle. 

It only took them half an hour to reach their destination. Thor's house was very large and quite beautiful. The outside was somewhat akin to a log cabin with dark wood lining its exterior, and the second floor was covered in floor-to-ceiling windows. There were several other cars parked in the driveway, but Pietro had no trouble finding a place to park the Jaguar. 

"It looks like Tony and Clint are the only ones not here yet," Pietro observed as they walked up to the front door. They rang the doorbell, and less than a minute later the door opened and revealed Jane standing there with a little girl resting on her hip. She looked to be about three years old and had long, blonde hair that definitely came from her Asgardian father. 

"Wanda, Pietro, it's so good to see you both!" Jane said with a large smile as she hugged each of the twins. 

"You look lovely as always, Jane," Pietro complimented as he kissed her on the cheek. He then leaned down to the toddler. "And Ms. Thalia, you are getting so big! Trying to catch up to your father, yes?" 

Thalia just giggled in response. 

"The others are in the backyard hanging out," Jane said. "Pepper called and said they were going to be late, but Clint and Laura should be here any minute." 

Wanda and Pietro followed Jane through the main floor of the house until they came to the Odinsons' huge backyard. A beautiful wooden patio greeted them as they stepped outside, and a large swimming pool lay just to their left. On the other side of the yard, there was a picturesque pavilion and an outdoor kitchen. Thor and Steve were currently engaged in an enthusiastic game of corn hole near the pavilion, and beside Rogers there was a pretty blonde woman Wanda remembered to be Sharon. Watching the game nearby was Bruce and Natasha. Bruce had his arm around Natasha's shoulder, and on her hip was a baby girl with dark, curly hair. 

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Wonder Twins!" Bruce called out. 

"Wonder Twins? You should know that Tony has already made that comparison many times," Pietro laughed as he and Wanda made their way to where everyone else was congregated. 

After the group had taken a few minutes to properly greet the newcomers, Steve and Thor went back to their competition while the twins watched with Bruce and Natasha. 

"So, how do you both like being parents?" Wanda asked. In the back of her mind she was still worried she would fail to remember something, but so far her memory had cooperated. She knew Thor and Jane were married and had a daughter named Thalia. Bruce and Natasha were also married, and they adopted a daughter and named her Claire. 

"Well, it's certainly nothing I've ever been trained for, but we're having fun figuring it out," Natasha replied with a grin as she bounced the baby up and down in her arms. Bruce nodded in agreement and tickled Claire's tummy, causing the little girl to start giggling. 

"I still think it's wonderful you chose to adopt from Sokovia," Pietro said and smiled at the child. "A lovely face like that does not belong in an orphanage." 

"I'm surprised we were able to bring her to America so soon," Bruce admitted. "I expected it to take at least two more years, but because the Ultron program has been so successful in global peacekeeping, many countries – including Sokovia– have become more open to international relations." 

Ultron. 

That name made Wanda feel anger like she'd never felt before. She knew it brought nothing but pain and destruction, and all traces of it needed to be erased from existence. 

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay. It was just a dream. Everything is okay._

Of course, now she remembered that there was nothing bad about Ultron. Ever since Tony and Bruce brought him to life, he had done nothing but help mankind achieve peace. He was the reason the Avengers were no longer needed. The reason they could have days like this. Ultron was good. 

"I'm sure the fact that both of you are former Avengers didn't hurt either," Steve pointed out, pulling Wanda from her thoughts. 

"That's true, but enough about us," Natasha said. "How about we talk about the fact that Captain America has finally bitten the bullet and gotten engaged!" 

Sharon laughed and held out her hand so they could all see the ring. "I'm still in shock myself. I was starting to think he'd never propose." 

"I was just waiting for the right time!" Steve defended. 

"But wasn't it you who told me not to wait too long with Natasha?" Bruce questioned. 

Rogers sighed in defeat. "Okay, so maybe I do tend to let things drag out a bit. Better late than never, right?" 

Wanda gave her support in the form of a smile. She was happy for Steve, even if the only thing she could remember about his fiancé was her first name. Didn't she work at SHIELD, too? Wanda wasn't sure. Why was she having so much trouble today? 

"Clint, my friend, it is good to see you and your lovely wife!" Thor boomed, causing Wanda to shift her eyes to the patio door. Sure enough, Barton had arrived with his wife. 

"Where are the kids?" Natasha asked after she hugged her best friend. 

"Well, Lila's at her friend's lake house upstate for the weekend, Nate's at some amusement park with his little league team, and Cooper is spending the day with the kid that's going to be his roommate this fall," Clint replied as he and Laura made their way over to the rest of the group. 

"I still can't believe Cooper is going to be in college," Bruce said, shaking his head. 

"Oh, don't even get me started," Laura sighed. "I'm still in denial." 

"He is going to NYU, right?" asked Pietro. 

Clint nodded. "For the first four years, at least. He still hasn't decided what he's majoring in yet." 

"Well, he has plenty of time to figure that out," Jane assured them. "But if he happens to be bitten by the astronomy bug, tell him he can come over and use my telescope any time." 

"Wouldn't accepting help from a Nobel Prize winner be considered cheating?" Natasha teased. 

"I couldn't have done it without Erik or Darcy," Jane said with a proud smile, "but it is nice to have finally gotten recognition for all the hard work I've done." 

"It certainly is a great accomplishment," Bruce agreed. "You should see the fit Tony throws every year when he hacks the nominations only to find out he's not one of them." 

"Did I just hear my name?" Tony questioned as he emerged from the house with his wife following closely behind him. "Seriously, guys, it's not nice to gossip." 

"Don't flatter yourself, Stark. We have much more interesting things to talk about than you," Steve teased good-naturedly as he shook the man's hand. 

"I'm sorry we're late. Somebody was making it hard for me to leave the bathroom this morning," Pepper sighed as she rubbed her enlarged abdomen. The other women winced sympathetically. 

"There is no need for apologies," Thor assured as he politely greeted his new guests. "I can remember many days when Jane was sick while carrying Thalia." 

"Don't remind me," Jane said with a shiver. 

"Here, Pepper," Steve said as he stepped forward with a chair and presented it to the pregnant woman. 

"I see you're still quite the gentleman," Pepper smiled. "Sharon is a very lucky lady." 

"Which brings up the million dollar question: who's your best man gonna be?" Tony asked, earning groans from everyone else. He continued as if he hadn't heard them. "Because, I assume it's going to be me, but I just want that verbal confirmation, you know?" 

"Tony," Steve sighed. "Bucky is going to be my best man." 

When Wanda had first met Bucky, she had been wary. Steve had told her what had happened to him wasn't his fault, but she had heard too many stories about the Winter Soldier while in HYDRA to think that he could be Captain America's best friend. However, the Avengers had given Wanda and her brother a second chance, so she decided she would do the same for Bucky. 

She was very glad she did. Although at first he had been shy and walked as if a massive weight rested on his shoulders, he had gradually opened up as he spent more time with the Avengers. And though his mind was still fractured, Wanda could now see a glimpse of the man Steve had told them so much about. 

Tony stared thoughtfully at Rogers for a moment as he considered his next move. "Fair enough," he relented with a shrug. Even Tony Stark knew better than to try to put himself above Bucky. 

"How is Bucky by the way?" Natasha questioned as she wiped some drool off of Claire's cheek. 

Apart from Steve, Bucky was closest to Natasha. In the beginning, Wanda had thought it was because Natasha had been a big part of finding Bucky and bringing him back. However, she had soon found there was something else drawing them together. The Red Room and HYDRA had provided them with similar experiences. They both knew what it was like to be beaten into submission and treated as nothing more than weapons. They had both been taught that emotion was bad and pain was trivial, and that nothing mattered more than the mission. Natasha related to Bucky in a way not even Steve could, and it had become a great catalyst for their friendship. 

"He's doing great, actually. He just got a new apartment in Brooklyn near our old neighborhood, and he hasn't had a flashback in almost three months," Steve said happily. 

As the group sat and talked about what was going on in their lives, Wanda found herself getting more and more frustrated. Her brain felt like Swiss cheese. She looked around to see if anyone was sensing her discomfort, but they all seemed happily oblivious. Even her brother, who normally knew immediately when she was upset, didn't even look her way. This only upset her more. Sure, she was the only one who could actually read people's thoughts, but one would think with all the professional spies and certified geniuses before her, at least one of them would be able to notice something was wrong. Not wanting to make a scene, however, she told herself to at least try to pay attention while everyone shared their newest developments.

Clint and his family had abandoned their farm to move to a house outside the city near Bruce and Natasha. Steve was now co-director of SHIELD and SHIELD's military liaison with Sam and Rhodey working closely beside him (the two men couldn't come today due to scheduling conflicts at work). Clint and Natasha had opened up a gym together with a built-in dance studio and shooting range. Bruce was a top science professor at Cornell University. Pepper was due in just three and a half weeks, and though Tony had once claimed he never wanted to have kids, Wanda could see he was very excited. 

"So, Pietro, how about you come work at our gym as a personal trainer?" Clint offered. "Since I'm going to be handling the shooting range and agility and Nat's going to be the dance instructor and gymnastics expert, we could use a man with your speed to get people moving." 

Pietro laughed. "I highly doubt any of your clients would be able keep up with me. I'd get tired of waiting." 

"If it'd help, you could always train ten people at once," Natasha suggested. 

"Tempting. I may have to accept." 

"What about you, Wanda? Getting tired of the stay at home life yet?" Steve questioned. 

Wanda thought for a moment. If she was tired of staying at home, she didn't remember. What did she even do all day? This was getting ridiculous. Maybe she should say something... 

"I have no idea what I could do," Wanda admitted after deciding it was best to just play along and pretend nothing was wrong. "I don't even really know what I am good at other than breaking things and scaring people." 

"That sounds more like the Hulk than you," Bruce pointed out. 

The Hulk. Wanda remembered the Hulk. She had been inside the Hulk's mind. She had felt Banner's consciousness fight desperately to stay in control only to be overtaken by the blind rage she had caused. The memory made her feel guilty. But why had she tampered with the Hulk's mind? She vaguely remembered someone telling her to do so, but whoever it had been was gone from her memory. 

"Don't talk about the Jolly Green Giant, Bruce. It hurts too much," Tony said, faking a sob. 

"It was for the best, Tony. Things are much simpler this way." 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I still miss him though." 

Miss him? Was the Hulk gone? What had happened to him? Had Wanda done something? 

"Anyway, Wanda," Steve said, preventing her from further contemplating the matter, "if you are looking for something to do, there's always a job at SHIELD for you. Nothing that would involve combat, of course. I just need help training some of the new enhanced recruits. None of them are super dangerous, but there are a few who have issues with controlling their powers, and I figure if anyone could help them with that, it'd be you. Interested?" 

"Perhaps. When would I need to start?" 

Steve shrugged. "Whenever you want, really. The world no longer needs saving, so there's not really a deadline." 

"I will consider it," Wanda promised, though she couldn't help but think the captain would not be offering her such an important job if he knew what was going on inside her head. 

He didn't know though. None of them knew. They were each happy in their own little worlds. Bruce and Natasha were playing with Claire, looking at her like she was the greatest thing the earth had ever produced. Tony and Pepper were currently discussing baby names with Clint and Laura, and the Bartons were giving them the precious gift of advice that could only come from veteran parents. Steve and Sharon were talking wedding plans with Jane, and unbeknownst to her, Thalia had fallen asleep in her lap. Finally, Wanda turned to her brother. He and Thor were engaged in a lively debate on whether or not Pietro could run faster than Thor could fly. Everyone but her was perfectly fine. 

"Well, I think somebody's ready for a nap," Jane announced as she observed the sleeping toddler in her lap. 

"I suppose Claire could use one too," Natasha decided. 

"Thor, why don't you get the grill fired up while Natasha and I go lay the girls down upstairs?" Jane suggested. 

"Of course, my love," Thor replied happily and kissed his wife and daughter. 

"Now, Thor, you are serving us meat from Earth, right?" Tony questioned. 

The Asgardian laughed. "This time, yes. I have for us today the finest steaks Midgard has to offer." 

"Sounds good to me. Let's get these puppies cooking!" Clint declared. 

For the next few hours, Wanda was able to put her worries behind her and enjoy being with her friends. The steaks were delicious, and afterwards they all went swimming in the giant pool. They also had a corn hole tournament (which Clint won), a lawn dart tournament (also Clint), and a bocce tournament (which Clint was banned from participating in so Bruce won). 

No one left until it was near nightfall. There was lots of hugging and promises to call along with Tony's declaration that as soon as the baby was born he'd fly them all out to his new beach house in the Bahamas for a week. When it came time for her and her brother to finally go, Wanda was more than a little sad. 

"Be careful driving home, you two," Jane ordered as Wanda and Pietro headed out the front door. 

"We will," Pietro promised. "Thank you once again for hosting us." 

"It was our pleasure," Thor smiled. 

Once they finished saying goodbye, Wanda and Pietro made their way back to the Jaguar and began the trip back to their house.  
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––  
As she got ready for bed that night, Wanda reflected on her day. It should have been perfect. Her brother had certainly thought so. The entire ride home he had gone on and on about what a great time he had had and how he was already looking forward to next month. She couldn't remember the last time Pietro was this happy.  
Wanda probably would have been the same way if she didn't have the constant feeling that something was wrong. Of course, she was unable to figure out what that something was. Was she just going crazy? 

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay._

No, she wasn't crazy. She had just had an off day. It happens to everyone. All she needed was a good night's sleep. She was sure things would be much better in the morning. 

Now convinced that there was nothing to be worried about, Wanda laid her head down on her pillow and allowed sleep to take her.


	2. Chapter 2

Destruction.

It was all around her. Buildings were crumbling. Cars were on fire. Debris filled the broken streets. The air was so thick with smoke and dust Wanda could barely breathe, let alone see. She stumbled along in a random direction in hopes of finding someone she knew, but instead she ended up on the ground after tripping over a piece of concrete.

"Hello?" she called out, though it came out as more of a cough. Her throat burned from the tainted air, but she did her best to ignore the discomfort. "Is anybody there?" Her cry was much louder that time, but it received no answer. She was completely alone. 

Wanda pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her head in them. It was all she could do to not start panicking. She needed someone to find her and help her get out of there. She couldn't stand being by herself in such a devastated place. It reminded her too much of her apartment after the bomb had hit. 

_"Wanda, can you hear me?"_

Wanda scrambled to her feet. She knew that voice. At least, she thought she did. She blinked her stinging eyes and looked around, but the voice's owner was nowhere in sight. 

_"Wanda, it's Vision. Can you hear me?"_

Vision. The name sounded familiar, yet she was sure she had never met anyone named Vision.

Or had she?

Suddenly, Wanda was no longer in the street. She now stood inside an old chapel she recognized from Sokovia. To her dismay, no one was in there with her. All she found was a strange, metal device in the building's center. Wanda knew she had seen it before, but she couldn't recall its purpose. Although, she had a strong feeling that nothing good could come from the machine.

_"The Avengers have been compromised, Wanda. Your minds have all been-"_

Wanda didn't hear the rest of Vision's warning. She was suddenly overwhelmed by horrific scenes of war. Robots were attacking from all directions. People were screaming as they tried desperately to find shelter. The city was rising higher and higher into the open sky. Pietro... oh God. Pietro's body was riddled with bullet holes. 

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay._

Except everything wasn't okay. Her brother was dead. Her brother was dead, and there was a terrible war going on around her. Nothing was okay.

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay._

But couldn't she just be dreaming? People have nightmares all the time. She probably wouldn't even remember anything when she woke up.

_"Wanda, you must come to your senses!"_ Vision pleaded. Wanda's dead brother appeared to her again in frightening detail. His skin had grown as pale as his hair, and his clothing was stained a terrible crimson. She shakily reached down and touched his face, but it held none of the warmth that used to give her so much comfort. 

Her twin brother was dead.

Tears flooded uncontrollably from her eyes as she slowly retracted her hand. He was really gone. He had to be. Something so horribly real couldn't be a dream.

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay._

Wanda was confused. She didn't know what was real or which voice to believe. She wanted to believe the one that told her none of the terrible things she had seen were real; however, something inside of her was drawn to the voice that called itself Vision. She felt like she knew him from somewhere. Wanda tried to listen to everything he had to say, but the other voice kept getting louder in attempt to win her over. 

_"Wanda, please wake up!"_

A third voice joined the fight for her attention. 

_"Wanda, it's me, Pietro! You must wake up!"_

Pietro? But that was impossible. Pietro couldn't call her name anymore. Pietro was dead. His corpse was right in front of–

Oh God.

Wanda looked all around her, but there was no sign of Pietro's body. It had completely vanished. 

_"Wanda!"_

The voices were becoming louder by the second, each one trying to outdo the others. Wanda fell to her knees and grabbed her head. It was unbearable. 

_"Wanda, it is your brother! You must wake up!"_

_"The Avengers need you, Wanda. Please try to realize what is happening!"_

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay. It was just a dream. Everything is okay._

She couldn't take it anymore. She needed the voices to go away. They were too loud. She couldn't think.

So she started screaming. 

She screamed and screamed and didn't stop until only her brother's voice remained. Wanda slowly opened her eyes and saw she was no longer in Sokovia. She was back in her bedroom; although, some of the furniture was tipped over, and the floor was covered with books and other things that had apparently fallen off the shelves. 

"It was just a nightmare, Wanda," Pietro assured her, his arms wrapped protectively around her body. Wanda looked at her brother - her living, breathing brother - and loud sobs erupted from her body. She clung to Pietro as if both of their lives depended on it. She was so relieved. It had been just a dream. Everything really was okay. 

Pietro continued to hold her tightly as she wept. Wanda never wanted him to let go. The things she had seen were horrible, and she needed the comfort only he could provide.

"I'm here, Wanda," her brother whispered as if he had read her mind, "and I promise I will never leave you."

Wanda didn't know how long they stayed like that. When the tears finally stopped coming, she asked Pietro what had happened to her room.

"I ran in when I heard you screaming, and everything was flying. You were using your powers in your sleep," he explained. Wanda felt her cheeks burn. She was suddenly embarrassed at her lack of control. Pietro wiped a stray tear off her cheek. "Don't worry about it, Wanda. It wasn't your fault. Now, it's time you try to get some more sleep. We will fix everything in the morning. I assume you want me to stay with you?"

Wanda nodded. "If you don't mind," she said, her voice slightly hoarse from abuse. 

Pietro pulled the blanket over them and kissed Wanda on the head. "Of course I don't mind. You are my little sister, are you not?"

Wanda simply smiled in response as she settled in next to her brother. She was a bit nervous about going to sleep, but she felt a lot better knowing her brother was there if she needed him. Her eyelids began to grow heavy, and she soon fell into a blissfully dreamless slumber.  
\------------------------------------------------------------

When Wanda woke up later that morning, the first thing she noticed was that everything in her room had been replaced in its rightful spot. It wasn't surprising that her brother had cleaned up her mess, but she was still a little frustrated that he hadn't allowed her to help. She climbed out of bed and was immediately hit by a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen. It reminded her of fresh bread, but there was a cinnamon-like sweetness to it. Wanda quickly got dressed and set off to find the source of the delicious odor.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Pietro greeted her as soon as she stepped into the kitchen. He was keeping himself busy by frying sausages, scrambling eggs, and making waffles at the same time. But while they all smelled great, nothing she saw him cooking matched the smell she was looking for. 

"What is in the oven?" she asked.

"Cinnamon rolls," he replied. "They are a very popular breakfast food in America. Clint told me we should try them."

Pietro handed her the package so she could inspect it. They looked more like a dessert than a breakfast in her opinion, with their pastry-like appearance and sugary icing on top. Rather than make a big deal out of it, however, Wanda simply nodded in acceptance and sat down at the table. She was relieved that her brother hadn't mentioned last night, but at the same time she knew he would eventually. She couldn't remember the last time a nightmare had been that bad.

Had it really been just a nightmare though? Last night she had been convinced it was, but now she wasn't so sure. It had been so real. And what about Vision? Surely she hadn't just made him up; it didn't make any sense. He had seemed to know a lot more than she did, so Wanda couldn't see how it was possible for him to be simply a figment of her imagination. 

"Breakfast is served," Pietro announced proudly as he laid all of the food on the table. Wanda shifted her focus back to reality. Seeing her brother's childlike smile as he iced the cinnamon rolls reminded her why she so desperately needed it to have been just a nightmare. She couldn't make it without Pietro. 

"It looks delicious," she said with an almost nervous smile. She tried to push the images of her dead brother away, but they kept coming back. It had been so real. 

"Are you all right, Wanda? Because I know you had a rough night-"

"I am fine, Pietro," Wanda assured, hoping she could cut the conversation short. The last thing she wanted to do was tell her brother that she had seen him dead. "Thank you for cleaning my room by the way."

Thankfully, Pietro seemed to get the message. "It was nothing; I had it done in two seconds. Now, you must try one of these cinnamon rolls. They are delicious!" 

After they finished eating, Wanda washed the dishes with her telekinesis. Using her powers always gave her a sense of security. Every object was subject to her control, and knowing that made her feel safe and strong. Even if she was doing something as menial as dishwashing, Wanda felt empowered. She could easily cause the pipes in the sink to explode, or have a plate splinter into a thousand pieces. Everything was hers. 

"I remember the first time you tried to use your powers to do the dishes," Pietro chuckled as he watched a clean plate fly by him and place itself in the cabinet. "I ended up covered in thick, red sauce."

"And you think that was an accident?" Wanda smirked. "So what are you planning to do today?"

"Well, Clint was going to show me around his gym, but if you'd rather me stay here-"

Wanda rolled her eyes. "I told you, Pietro. I am fine. I don't need a babysitter."

"Would you like to come with me then? You could stay with Natasha while I'm with Clint."

"All right," Wanda agreed. It wasn't as if she had anything better to do, and she knew Natasha might be a good person to talk to about her doubts. 

They arrived at the gym less than an hour later. It was massive. The building itself was about the length of a football field and towered five stories. Around it was an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a track and field area, an outdoor shooting rage, and a tennis court. Wanda took a minute to soak up everything. She was amazed at how big the facility was. When Clint and Natasha had mentioned they were opening up a gym, she hadn't expected it to be anything near this size. 

Across the parking lot, they saw Clint was waiting for them in front of the main entrance. 

"What do you guys think?" he asked as he greeted the twins.

"Honestly, I was expecting something a bit more impressive," Pietro replied with a smirk.

Barton laughed. "Yeah, I'll admit it's a bit small, but Nat wouldn't let me go any bigger. Come on in, and I'll show you around."

As Clint gave them the grand tour, Wanda couldn't help but think how easy it would be to get lost. It was so big. Pietro, however, didn't look concerned. His face was filled with bright anticipation as if he were a kid in a candy store. This place was perfect for him.

"And this is the dance studio," Barton announced as he led them through a set of double doors. "I'm not exactly sure when her next class is over, so we'll move on and have her meet up with us later."

"Actually, I would like to stay here and wait on Natasha if that's all right," Wanda said. She was afraid if she waited until later she wouldn't get the chance to talk to Natasha alone.

Clint looked at her for a moment. "Is everything okay, Wanda? You seem a little off today."

Wanda smiled. "I am fine, Clint. I just want to talk with her about something."

"If you say so," Barton shrugged, thankfully accepting her answer.

"Besides," Wanda smirked, "I do not want to get in the way of your male bonding time."

"Male bonding time? This is why everyone thinks I'm the funny one," Pietro teased.

Wanda rolled her eyes as the men walked away laughing. Once they were out of sight, she made her way through the studio to the room Natasha was teaching in and sat down in one of the chairs outside the door. Wanda was a bit nervous about explaining to Natasha what she had experienced the previous night, but she knew she was doing the right thing. Something was definitely off, and she needed to talk to someone about it. 

Fortunately, Wanda didn't have to wait long for Natasha's class to be over.

"Good work today, guys," Natasha said as she opened the door. "Be sure to practice the routine I showed you today. We'll continue to work on it next week."

Wanda stood up to greet her friend once the small crowd had dissipated. "Hi, Natasha."

"Wanda," Natasha smiled as the two women hugged. "What brings you here?" 

"Clint is showing Pietro around the gym, and I came along because I needed to talk to you." 

Natasha nodded, concern shining in her eyes. "We can talk in my office. My next class isn't for an hour and a half, so we have plenty of time."

Once they were both seated in Natasha's office, Wanda explained everything that had happened the previous day– how she didn't recognize her own room; how she was shocked seeing Pietro; how she had trouble remembering things about her and her friends' lives; and how some things, such as the mere mention of Ultron, filled her with strong emotions she couldn't explain nor control. She also talked about all the horrible things she had seen in her dream, and how someone named Vision was trying to warn her about something dreadful. 

Natasha remained quiet during her monologue. Once in a while, she would narrow her eyes and look as if she were about to remember something, but it always passed quickly. Wanda took notice of this and got confused. She didn't know what the ex-assassin was thinking. 

Wasn't that why she had telepathy?

Normally, Wanda would never look into one of her friends' minds without permission. However, she was desperate for answers, and for some reason she felt that she could find something in Natasha's mind that would help. 

Wanda focused her thoughts on Natasha. Then, as she had done many times before, she imagined her mind reaching out like a long, slender hand and grasping onto Natasha's. But before she could tell what Natasha was thinking, an intense pain pierced through her skull. It felt like someone was electrocuting her brain. She cried out and grabbed her head. It hurt.

The pain only stayed for a few seconds, but Wanda was left dizzy and exhausted. 

"Wanda, did you just try to read my mind?" Natasha questioned. Wanda looked up at her friend and expected her to be angry, but instead all she saw was concern.

"I-I was just trying to figure out what is going on," she admitted. 

Natasha grabbed a bottled water out of a nearby mini fridge and handed it to Wanda. "You know you can't use your telepathy anymore. You could seriously injure yourself."

"But I used my powers just this morning," Wanda said in confusion. "They were fine then."

Natasha sighed sadly. "Okay," she began patiently, obviously having done it before. "When we first found you and your brother in Strucker's base, we were looking for Loki's scepter. It was what HYDRA used to give you your powers. You and Pietro weren't fans of us back then, so when Stark got his hands on the scepter, you tried to take it back. The scepter went off while you two were fighting, and it knocked you unconscious. You were out for three days. When you woke up, you could no longer use your telepathy, and any attempt to do so caused you great pain. For some reason, your telekinesis was unaffected." 

Wanda took a moment to absorb what she'd been told. It made no sense. How could the scepter take away only part of her power? And how could she not remember if it had? 

"As for your other memory blanks," Natasha continued, "we found out later that your memory had been affected by the blast as well. You get confused sometimes and forget things. It's been a while since you've forgotten this much though."

"But what about Vision?" Wanda persisted. 

Natasha paused for a moment then shook her head. "Your mind was just playing tricks on you. Vision only exists in your head."

"But he was so real!" 

"I know it felt real, Wanda, but you need to let it go. It was just a dream. Everything is okay."

Wanda froze. 

"What did you just say?" she asked shakily. She felt like she had just been punched in the stomach. 

Natasha seemed taken aback for a moment. "I told you everything you saw last night was just a dream. Everything is fine." 

Wanda didn't know what to do next. She knew she had heard that exact phrase before, but where? Unsurprisingly, her brain failed to tell her. 

Just then, Pietro and Clint came in and interrupted Wanda's inner panic. She took a deep breath as she stood and thanked Natasha for her time. 

"Are you going to be okay?" Natasha whispered as she hugged Wanda.

"I will be fine," Wanda promised, "but please do not say anything about this to anyone. The last thing I want is to cause worry." 

Natasha nodded in understanding and gave Wanda a reassuring smile as they headed out the door. As she and her brother traveled home, Wanda couldn't help but think that her visit with Natasha had left her with more questions than answers. Sure, she had an explanation for why her memory had been so off, but if it were true, why had none of them tried to help her during the party when she was struggling so much? Everyone had acted as if things were perfect. Steve had offered her a job that required her to help other people with their powers. Why would he do that if he knew she could forget what she was doing at any moment? Not even her brother had mentioned her impairments. She couldn't imagine Pietro, who had always been fiercely protective of her, ignoring something like that. Especially after she had had such a bad nightmare the previous night. 

And what about her telepathy being suddenly gone? She certainly didn't remember losing it, and she hadn't noticed any problems with it until she had tried to read Natasha's mind. Was she really that messed up? 

"Wanda, we're home," Pietro announced. Wanda blinked a few times as her focus shifted back to reality. She wanted to ask her brother why he had acted so ignorant but quickly decided against it. He had been so happy after leaving the gym, and she didn't want to ruin that. One of them should get to enjoy life. 

"You must be starving," she said with a small smile. "How about I fix lunch?"

Pietro raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it be much faster if I fixed it?"

Wanda rolled her eyes. "It will not kill you to wait a little bit. How about I heat up the rest of that borscht and bake some rolls to go with it?" 

"I think I would be willing to wait for that," Pietro grinned. 

It didn't take her long to get everything ready, but of course that didn't stop Pietro from complaining about how slow she was while she cooked. As she and her brother began eating, they discussed the gym and how excited Pietro was to start working there.

"Clint said I could begin training next week," he announced happily. "He has already shown me how everything works, so now all I need to do is take a short class on how to be a personal trainer. That will start tomorrow." 

"You sound very excited for this job. I am glad you decided to take it," Wanda said with a smile as she poured Pietro his third bowl of soup. 

"What about you? Are you going to take that job Steve offered you at SHIELD?" 

Wanda sighed. "I am not sure it would be a good idea. You know how messed up my memory is."

At least, he was supposed to know. But why hadn't he explained things to her earlier? Why had Natasha been the one to tell her everything? Wanda couldn't help but feel a little resentment towards her brother for being so oblivious. 

"You haven't had a bad episode in almost a year though," Pietro pressed. "Bruce and Tony have even said they think you could be getting better." 

"Well, Bruce and Tony are wrong. If anything, I feel like I'm getting worse. Yesterday, I woke up and did not even recognize my own bedroom!"

"It has happened before, Wanda. But don't worry, it always comes back to you. And until it does, I and all the others are here to help you."

"Except you didn't help me! None of you did!" Wanda exclaimed, anger and frustration bubbling up inside her. "I even told you I did not remember you could drive, and you brushed it off as if it were nothing! And while we were at Thor's house, I was really struggling to remember everything about everyone, but no one bothered to ask if I needed help. If this has happened before like you said, why does no one act like they care?" 

Pietro started apologizing immediately, but Wanda didn't care. She still hadn't found any of the answers she was looking for. She was about to run off and lock herself in her bedroom, but suddenly a blinding pain erupted in her skull. It was just as bad as earlier that day, but this time it did not fade after a few moments.

_"Wanda, it's Vision. Please let me know if you can hear me."_

Wanda screamed and fell out of her chair. Scenes from the previous night's dream assaulted her vision. Destruction. Robots. Death. They ravaged her brain like a hurricane.

_"Wanda!"_

Vision continued to beg for her attention, but Wanda could focus only on the pain. 

_It was just a dream. Everything is okay. It was just a dream. Everything is okay._

Finally, the pain subsided and Wanda's head cleared. When she regained composure, she looked up and saw that her brother had his arms wrapped around her much like he had the night before.

"It's okay, Wanda," Pietro assured.

Wanda pulled away from her brother's embrace. "Are you going to tell me that this is a normal occurrence as well?"

"Wanda, I think you need to lie down."

"I do not need to lie down, Pietro. I need answers! Something strange is going on, and I want to know what!"

Wanda turned towards the door, but before she could take one step towards it Pietro was standing in front of her with his hands on her shoulders.

"You need to rest, Wanda," he said, his voice carrying a hypnotic tone Wanda had never heard before. "I promise you will feel better when you wake up."

"But what about–"

"Don't worry about what all has happened. We are working on a way to stop it from occurring again."

"We?" 

Pietro shushed her gently. "It was just a dream. Everything is okay. Now, look at you. You are so exhausted you can barely stand. Let's get you to bed."

Wanda was about to protest, but then she discovered she really was tired. It was as if every ounce of energy had been squeezed from her body. Her knees buckled, but Pietro caught her before she hit the ground. He gently scooped her up and carried her to her room. 

"Sleep well, Wanda," Pietro whispered as he tucked her in. "Everything is okay. Your memory will be much better when you wake up."


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing she noticed was the darkness.

Wanda searched all around her, but there was no trace of light to be seen. However, she didn't need to illuminate the area with her powers to know there were no objects around her. She would have been able to sense them.

That was when she noticed there was no floor.

Wanda knew the feeling of flight. She quite enjoyed the rush she received soaring above her fellow Avengers as they moved into battle. It made her feel free and confident. But this was nothing like that. She had no control here. She was floating aimlessly through a void of darkness, and it scared her. She felt trapped and helpless. She tried using her powers multiple times, but there was nothing around her to control. She was stuck.

"Wanda, can you hear me?"

It was Vision again, only this time his voice was more clear than Wanda had ever heard it before. He sounded as if he was right next to her, though Wanda couldn't sense his presence.

"I can hear you," she replied uncertainly. 

"Thank goodness," Vision said, sounding relieved. "I have been trying to contact you for days, Wanda. The Avengers have been severely compromised."

"Compromised how?"

"A man who calls himself Mastermind has taken the Avengers captive and put your bodies in a catatonic state. He then used his powerful telepathic abilities to trap your minds in a parallel universe of his own creation. Nothing you have seen in the past few days has been real." 

Wanda’s eyes widened, and her heartbeat quickened its pace. It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. It was impossible.

Wasn’t it?

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared in front of her. Once her eyes adjusted to the sudden abuse, she saw a strange man in front of her. He couldn't have been human, with his purple skin and metallic composition. And though she was quite surprised by his unusual appearance, the biggest shock was that she could sense his mind even though she no longer had telepathy.

"I am sorry it took me so long to appear to you. Mastermind has constantly been strengthening his hold on you. I was just recently able to break through when you started working against him yourself."

"Why can I sense your mind? I was told I could no longer use my telepathy," Wanda questioned.

"Mastermind is a clever man. He knew allowing you to keep your telepathy would only result in giving you a way to break his hold on you and the other Avengers should you discover his treachery."

"If the lives we have now are false as you've said, what are our real ones like?" Wanda had a feeling she already knew the answer, but she desperately hoped she was wrong. 

"I believe you will find all the answers you seek in my mind. I must warn you, however, you will find some things to be very upsetting," Vision warned gently. He sounded sympathetic, which only made Wanda more nervous. She took a deep breath, and slowly entered Vision's mind.

She quickly regretted it.

Buildings were crumbling. People were screaming. Fire consumed the world around her, its poisonous fumes invading her lungs and causing them to burn. And blood. Blood was present nearly everywhere she looked. 

It was everything she feared.

Everything from her nightmare had been real. The destruction of Sokovia. The battle against Ultron. The death of Pietro. She searched deeper into Vision’s mind in hope that she would find he was lying to her, but there was no trace of deception to be found. He was telling the truth. It had all really happened.  
Wanda had never felt so violated. Who could be so cruel as to think he had the right to inject their souls with false happiness like this?

Clint and Natasha didn't own a gym; Steve wasn't director of SHIELD; Bruce wasn't a college professor; and, worst of all, Clint was the only one who was married and had kids. That meant the other children – Claire, Thalia, and Tony's unborn son – had never existed. They were merely puppets designed by Mastermind. 

And so was Pietro. 

The Pietro she had spent time with over the past few days – that had laughed with her at Thor's party, comforted her after her nightmare, and teased her about being a slow cook – had not been hers. Her Pietro was dead.

He was dead.

Wanda was sure she would have collapsed if she wasn't floating. The realization was just too horrible. Her twin brother was dead. He was the only family she had left, and he was gone. Tears of anguish filled her eyes and started making their way down her cheeks. 

She didn't think she could live without him. Pietro had always been the one to take care of her, whether she had wanted him to or not. When they were twelve, they had had to sleep outside one night during the winter. Pietro had taken off his jacket and – despite Wanda’s protests – wrapped it around her. He hadn’t cared that it was one of the coldest nights of the year. He hadn’t cared that it was snowing heavily. All he cared about was that Wanda was slightly warmer in the harsh weather. Of course, she had tried to give it back to him, but he had adamantly refused. 

A week later, he had gotten pneumonia. He most likely would have died if a Good Samaritan hadn’t driven them to the hospital. Wanda remembered how she had felt while watching him fight for his life. He had been extremely weak, and his ashen skin had looked frighteningly similar to the white bedding. She had cried nearly constantly. She had been so afraid that he was going to die and leave her to face the cruel world alone. 

And now he had.

“Wanda," Vision began, sympathy evident in his voice, "I cannot imagine the pain you are facing, but I must ask that you be strong. The Avengers need you to help them wake from their illusions. I, along with all the help I could muster, am working on freeing you all from the outside, but I need you to free everyone from the inside."

Wanda took a few deep breaths in order to gain control of her emotions. Vision was right. She could mourn later. 

"What can I do?" she asked.

"Make the others believe all that I have told you. The lives they are currently living are not real."

"How am I supposed to do that? They already think my mind is broken!"

"You can do this, Wanda. I believe-"

Suddenly, Vision vanished. He reappeared a few moments later, but his form wasn't nearly as solid as before. 

"Wanda," he said, his voice now sounding far away. "I don't have a lot of time. Mastermind has found me, and I cannot fight him much longer." 

“But, Vision, I do not understand how I can make the other Avengers believe me!"

"Mastermind will try... convince.... his world... real. Do not let...! Remember... truth!”

Vision's voice was scattered as his form continued to flicker, but Wanda was able to understand the gist of the warning. She was in for a fight. 

In more ways than one.

Suddenly, a man appeared beside Vision. He was large and muscular with grey hair and deep, black eyes. The most frightening thing about him, however, was that he seemed to be encased in some sort of sparking green energy. Wanda yelled out a warning to Vision, but it was no use. The man put his hand through Vision's form, and it immediately dissolved into smoke. 

Mastermind.

Though Wanda had never seen him before, she knew it must be him. Who else could have invaded her consciousness and driven Vision out with such ease?

He turned to face Wanda with a malicious look in his eyes. "Now, Wanda," he began, his voice filled with arrogance, "don't let what that bothersome robot said confuse you. It was just a dream. Everything is okay."

As he finished, he reached out towards Wanda. She instinctively summoned her powers to protect her, but they had no effect on Mastermind. His hand grabbed her head, and she found herself instantly paralyzed.

Then everything went black.  
––––––––  
When Wanda next achieved consciousness, she was in her bedroom. Or, more accurately, the bedroom Mastermind had created for her. Wanda slowly sat up as she reflected on what had happened. The last thing she remembered was being paralyzed by the villain. She was positive his intentions were to brainwash her once again, so why did she still remember everything Vision had told her? 

Just thinking about Mastermind and the massive task before her made her head ache. She had no idea what to do, and she had a feeling Vision would not be able to assist her again. She was completely on her own in a world created by her enemy.

Before she could come up with an answer, her door opened.

"Hello, Sleepy Head," Pietro said with a small smile, "are you feeling better?"

It took all of Wanda's willpower not to lose her composure. Seeing Pietro reminded her how hard it was going to be to wake up and have to live without him. Tears of grief began to fill her eyes, but Wanda blinked them away. She couldn't break down now. She had a job to do.

"I'm going out," she said coldly as she got out of bed. 

Pietro looked confused. "Wanda, it is almost ten o'clock at night, and you can't drive."

"I can fly," Wanda replied. She grabbed her coat then pushed past Pietro. 

Unsurprisingly, he was waiting for her the front door. "Wanda, let's talk about this," he said. "I'm sure wherever you want to go can wait until the morning."

He actually had the nerve to look worried about her, but Wanda knew it was just an act. He didn't really care about her. He wasn't even real. 

"I will give you one chance to get out of my way," Wanda warned through gritted teeth. She wanted nothing more than to rip the imposter apart.

"Wanda, please, you're scaring me," Pietro begged. His emotion seemed so real Wanda almost believed him. Almost.

"You are not my brother," she hissed. As Wanda summoned her powers, she saw Pietro’s eyes widen. He begged her to stop and think about what she was doing. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve thought he even had tears in his eyes.

She told herself she didn’t care. That he wasn’t her brother and therefore didn’t deserve her sympathy. She intensified her focus on her powers and threw Pietro into the next room. She heard him scream in pain as he collided with something – probably the dining room table – but she didn’t allow herself to look. She heard him feebly call out her name once more before she took off into the open sky.

She landed behind a convenience store several miles away. It was becoming harder to keep herself together, but she was determined not to succumb to her emotions. The other Avengers needed her.

If only she knew where they lived.

Wanda almost punched a nearby wall in frustration. She wished she had paid better attention when Pietro had driven them to Thor's house, but unfortunately she had no idea how to reach him or any of her other teammates. She walked around to the front of the store, hoping to find something that could help her. The first thing to catch her eye was a payphone.

In the real world, Wanda knew several of the Avengers' cell phone numbers by heart. But wouldn't they be different in this universe? Mastermind seemed to keep many small details from their actual lives in order to make his illusion more believable. Perhaps he wouldn't change their phone numbers.

She decided it was worth a try. Since she didn't have any money, she used her powers to rig the payphone. When the dial tone came on, Wanda contemplated whom she should call. The first person she thought of was Clint. Clint seemed like the perfect choice. His life had been changed the least by Mastermind, so Wanda figured he was most likely to believe her. Also, he was the Avenger Wanda had grown closet to during her time on the team. She thought of the moment during their battle against Ultron where he had first inspired her to be an Avenger. She had wanted to hide from the terrible situation she had helped create, but he had convinced her to fight instead. He had always supported her and encouraged her. 

Wanda nervously dialed Clint's number, hoping desperately it would work. 

_"Hello?"_

Wanda could have cried in relief. She had never been so happy to hear Clint Barton's voice. 

"Clint, it's Wanda," she said.

_"Wanda? Where are you? Pietro called and said you took off. Everyone's out looking for you."_

"Clint, you have to listen to me. I will tell you where I am, but you must not tell Pietro."

_"But, Wanda, he's worried sick about-"_

"I do not care!" Wanda replied sharply, the words coming out more harshly than she intended. She took a deep breath before continuing. "This is very important, Clint. Can I trust you?" 

Clint paused for a moment, as if he were considering Wanda's plea. _"Okay, Wanda,"_ he responded finally. _"Where are you?"_

Wanda narrowed her eyes and searched for a street sign. "I am in front of a convenient store at the corner of Wilson Street and Baker Street."

_"I know where that is,"_ Clint said. _"Just hang tight. I'll be there in twenty minutes."_

As she waited for Clint to arrive, Wanda found herself getting very impatient. She didn't like waiting. Waiting meant thinking, and she didn't want to think. She just wanted the whole thing to be over so she could properly mourn for her brother. Again. 

She only hoped Clint would believe her. 

When he finally pulled up to the store, Wanda was more than thankful. "You look like you could use some ice cream," he observed. "There's a diner a few blocks away. Get in the car and I'll buy you a sundae while you tell me what's going on." 

Wanda nodded and did as she was instructed. She wasn’t surprised at all that Clint had suggested ice cream. The frozen treat seemed to be his solution to nearly all of life’s problems. The fact that Mastermind had thought to include even this small detail reminded Wanda of just how carefully he had crafted his world. She didn't say another word until they were both seated in a corner booth with large hot fudge sundaes in front of them. 

"Okay, Wanda," Clint said, looking expectantly at her. "What's on your mind?" 

"Nothing is real," she replied, staring at her sundae. When Barton didn't answer immediately, she slowly looked up. 

As she suspected, he looked confused. 

"What do you mean, 'nothing is real'?" he finally asked. 

Wanda took a deep breath then explained everything she knew about what Mastermind had done to them. She didn't leave out a single detail no matter how painful it was to recount. Her voice broke when she got to Pietro's death, but she managed to keep the tears at bay. 

Clint never interrupted her. He simply sat back with his arms crossed and a conflicted look on his face, his sundae long forgotten. Wanda wondered how hard Mastermind was having to work to stay in control of his mind. She knew he had overcome mind control before, so she hoped Clint could find a way to overcome the villain's illusions. 

When she finally finished, a stiff silence fell over the two. Wanda was tempted to look inside his mind to see what was going on, but then she remembered she was back in Mastermind's world where using her telepathy equaled terrible pain. Not something she was too eager to experience again. 

She just wished that he would give her some indication as to what he was thinking. 

"So what you're saying is," Clint began uncertainly, "this robot named Vision came to you in a dream and told you that everything around you is fake and that the happy lives we are currently living are the result of this guy Mastermind screwing with our heads?" 

Wanda sighed. It did sound pretty crazy. 

Clint continued. "And I'm the only who actually has a family? The others' just don't exist?" 

"I know it is hard to believe, Clint," Wanda said, "but it's the truth. I know it is. I would show you, but Mastermind has disabled my telepathy. You're going to have to trust me." 

"Wanda, I'd trust you with my life any day of the week. We all would. But this... This is huge. We're talking earth-shattering, not to mention heart-breaking. If this were true –" 

"It is!" Wanda pressed. "Tell me, Clint. What is Nathaniel's second name?" 

"Bernard, after my older brother," replied Clint, "but I don't see how that's relevant to the situation, Wanda." 

"It's Pietro." 

"What?" questioned Clint, confusion oozing into his tone. 

"Nathaniel's second name is Pietro. Not Bernard," Wanda clarified. 

Barton seemed caught off guard. "Why would I name my son after your brother?" 

"Because remember how I mentioned Pietro died during our battle against Ultron? He was killed saving you.” 

Clint sighed. “Wanda…” 

“Clint, I know this is hard to believe. If I were in your position, I probably wouldn’t believe me either. But please, you have to find a way to see the truth. Can you really say that nothing feels off?” 

“I’m sorry, Wanda, but you haven’t shown me any real proof. If you want me to go tell all of my best friends that their families don’t exist, I’m going to need something more concrete.” 

“Fine,” Wanda said sharply. She knew she would most likely regret what she was about to do, but she didn’t see any other way to convince Clint of the truth. She closed her eyes, and slowly imagined a red hand slithering from her mind and grabbing onto Clint’s. 

The pain started immediately. 

Wanda couldn’t stop the cry of agony that erupted from her throat. It felt as if someone was hammering nails into her skull. 

“Wanda, stop!” she heard Clint yelling at her. She couldn’t stop though. She had to make him see the truth. Dark spots started dancing across her vision, but she persevered. 

“Wanda, I believe you! Please stop!” 

Wait. 

Did Clint jut say he believed her? 

Wanda ceased trying to use her telepathy. The pain faded, and she slowly looked up at her friend. 

“Y-you believe me?” she asked, hoping desperately that she had heard him right. 

“I saw something when you tried using your telepathy,” Clint admitted. “Some things are still pretty fuzzy, but I’ve seen enough to know you’re definitely on to something.” 

Wanda sighed in relief, the dizziness and residual pain quickly pushed aside. He believed her. He actually believed her. 

“So what’s our next move?” he asked. 

"I don't know," she confessed. "To be honest, I wasn't sure I would get this far." 

But she had. She had achieved the first step in getting them home. Now that Clint was on her side, everything seemed much more manageable. 

Clint nodded in acceptance. "I suggest the first thing we do is go back to your house and interrogate Pietro. Since he's obviously a creation of Mastermind, maybe he give can tell us a way to get out of this hellhole." 

Wanda raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't we try to get the others on our side first?" 

"Telling the others their entire lives are a lie is probably not the best idea. At least not yet. I mean, I'm barely holding it together, and my wife and kids actually exist." 

"You have a point," Wanda conceded, "but how can we be sure he will tell us anything? I cannot control him here." 

"Trust me. I have my ways of getting people to talk," Clint assured, his eyes darkening just enough for Wanda to notice. 

She mentally gulped. Here she was about to go interrogate – and probably torture – her own twin brother. She kept reminding herself he was fake, but the comfort he had provided her the night she had first encountered Vision had not been. She could still feel the warmness of his embrace as he held her tightly. She could still hear his soothing voice as he assured her all the bad things were a merely a dream, and that everything would be okay. He had actually made her feel safe and loved, and real or not, she truly didn't want to cause her brother any pain. 

Clint must have noticed her reluctance because he reached over and gently grabbed her hand. "Everything is going to be fine, Wanda," he promised, the darkness in his eyes replaced completely by concern. 

"I know," she whispered. 

"Good," he smiled. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. "You go ahead and wait in the car. I'm going to go wash up." 

Wanda nodded in response and slowly slid out of the booth. As she got in the car and waited for Clint, a feeling of uneasiness swept through her. She didn't know where it came from, but it told her something was very wrong. 

_"Everything about this is wrong,"_ she reminded herself. She did her best to ignore the feeling and hoped the whole ordeal would be over soon. 

Clint came out a couple minutes later. When he got in the car, Wanda immediately noticed something was off. She wasn't sure what it was, but it allowed that uneasy feeling to return to the front of Wanda's mind. 

"Are you ready?" he asked. Wanda could hear sadness and even a little regret in his voice, but she attributed that to the great sense of loss he was probably feeling. 

"I am if you are," she replied. 

The sixteen minute drive was burdened with a heavy silence. Clint didn't seem to want to talk anymore, and Wanda didn't try to make him. He really seemed to be struggling with the whole situation. Wanda didn't blame him. She was struggling just as much if not more. 

When they finally arrived, Clint visibly stiffened. 

"What's wrong?" Wanda questioned. 

"Wanda, whatever happens, I just want you to know that I really care about you. We all do, okay?" 

Wanda was getting nervous. "Clint, what's going on?" 

"I'm just not sure how this whole thing is gonna go down," he admitted with a sigh. 

"Me neither, but the important thing is we stick together. I don't think I could do this without you." 

Wanda's words were meant to be encouraging, but Clint seemed to feel worse after hearing them. He wouldn't even look her in the eye. Now Wanda really missed her telepathy. Something was definitely off with her friend. 

Clint threw his door open. "Let's get this over with," he said with hardened resolve. 

"Are we just going to walk in the front door?" Wanda asked as she got out of the car. 

Barton nodded. "There's no point in being secretive. You can keep him from running away, right?" 

Wanda paused. She had never thought about using her powers against Pietro. Sure, she had thrown him out of her way earlier, but that had been different. He hadn't been moving. It would take a lot more energy to hold him if he tried to run away. Energy Wanda wasn't sure she had. 

"I will do my best, but you'll need to tie him up quickly," she answered. 

As they reached the front door, Wanda's anxiety grew. Every instinct she had told her to run away. Clint, she noticed, now walked as if a giant burden rested on his shoulders. When they reached the front door he looked to Wanda, and she assured him it was unlocked. 

"We'll go in together," he said. Wanda nodded in agreement then watched Clint slowly open the door. 

When they reached the living room, Wanda was surprised to see the rest of her teammates waiting for her. Pietro was there too. His arm was in a sling, and he had a butterfly bandage on his forehead. His eye was bruised a deep purple. She briefly felt guilty for injuring her brother, but then she remembered the situation she was in. She looked around at her fellow Avengers, but there was no levity like the last time they were all together. It had been replaced with a tense silence. 

"What's going on?" Wanda demanded. She was beginning to regret not listening to her instincts. She looked to Clint, but he quickly averted his eyes. 

He had led her into a trap. 

It all made sense now. He must have called them all while in the restroom. He had never really believed her. Or if he had, Mastermind had quickly regained control and fixed that. What exactly happened didn't matter though. All that mattered was she was standing in a room with a bunch of people who probably thought she was crazy. 

"Wanda, we need to talk," Steve began softly. 

"How did you guys even get here? I didn't see any of your cars," Wanda questioned, trying to stall. She knew exactly what they wanted to talk about. 

"We parked down the street, but that's not important right now," Tony said sternly. The seriousness of his voice caught Wanda off guard. Tony Stark was never this serious. Even in the heat of battle he cracked jokes. That was definitely not a good sign. 

Pietro stood up. "Look, Wanda, we just want to help you. I know you are under the impression that nothing around you is real, but –" 

"Stop it!" Wanda exclaimed, her eyes glowing red. "Mastermind may have everyone else fooled, but I know you are nothing but a puppet of his creation! How dare you masquerade as my brother and pretend to care about me!" 

She went on to call him every insulting name she knew in both Sokovian and English. When she finished, everyone else was staring at her in shocked silence. 

She turned to her fellow Avengers. "You must believe me," she begged. "Mastermind has control over you, but you have to fight it! Please!" 

"Wanda, you need help," Bruce said, his voice full of worry. 

"I am not crazy! I know what is real!" 

"We know you're not crazy, Wanda," Natasha assured. "But you are sick, and there are people who can help you get through it." 

Wanda froze. Surely Natasha didn't mean... 

"What kind of people?" she asked shakily. 

"There's a quinjet on its way to take you to a nearby SHIELD facility for psychiatric treatment," Steve explained. He seemed to hate himself more with each word. "They're going to run some tests, and then they're going to get you the help that you need." 

Wanda shook her head. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't believe they would do this. She kept telling herself Mastermind was making them do it, but she had never felt so betrayed. It felt like her heart was being ripped right out of her chest. 

"How could you all?" she questioned, tears burning behind her eyes. "I am your friend! We're supposed to be a team – a family! You're supposed to trust me!" 

"We are going to be with you every step of the way," Thor spoke up. "I give you my word that no harm will come to you." 

"But I am telling you the truth! None of this life is real!" 

Suddenly, Wanda heard the whirring sounds of a quinjet landing in the street. She didn't have much time left. She didn't know why, but she had a grave feeling that if she went to SHIELD it would all be over. Mastermind would win. 

"This is only temporary, Wanda. I still love you. We all do. We just want you to get better," Pietro said sincerely. He put his free hand on her shoulder, but she quickly jerked away. 

"No," Wanda shook her head. "I'm not going. You can't make me!" 

"Wanda, please don't fight. The sooner you cooperate, the sooner they can help you," Clint pleaded. 

There was a knock on the door. 

Wanda had to get out of there. She started running towards the kitchen, but Pietro blocked her way. She turned around and ran the other direction only to be grabbed by Thor. 

"We are only doing what we feel is best for you, Wanda," he said gently. "Please do not hate us." 

She tried to pry herself from his grasp, but she was no match for his Asgardian strength. Desperate for a way out, Wanda used her powers. Thor was thrown across the room and crashed into Bruce. She tried to use the chaos as a way to cover her escape, but it was no use. Before she could take three steps towards the door, she was grabbed once again. This time by two SHIELD agents. They slammed her down on a gurney and restrained her wrists. Wanda tried using her powers to free herself, but she quickly discovered the restraints were programmed to electrocute her whenever she released energy. So much for not letting them hurt her. 

"Please, don't do this," she cried, tears from both the physical and emotional pain streaming down her cheeks. "I'm not crazy! Please, I'm not crazy!" 

"Don't worry, Ms. Maximoff, we are going to take good care of you," a somewhat familiar voice said from behind Wanda. She stop struggling long enough to look at the voice's owner as he came into view. 

It was Mastermind. 

"No, no, no," Wanda chanted. She looked desperately to her fellow Avengers. "You can't let him take me. Please, you can't! It's Mastermind!" She was practically screaming at this point, but she didn't care. 

"Wanda, please calm down," Steve begged. "This is Dr. Jason Wyngarde, one of the best psychiatrists in the world. He's going to help you." 

"No, it's him! It's Mastermind! You have to listen to me!" Wanda was struggling now more than ever. She couldn't let Mastermind take her. Not without a fight. She tried using her powers again and again until she almost passed out from the pain the electricity caused. She felt utterly helpless. 

"We'd better get her out of here before she seriously injures herself or someone else," she vaguely heard Mastermind say. She felt the gurney start to move, which only increased her panic. 

"No! You can't let him take me! Don't let him take me!" she continued to scream. "I trusted all of you! We were a family! If you love me at all, please don't let him take me!" 

She looked up at her friends as the agents rolled her to the quinjet. Bruce was holding Natasha. Tony was covering his eyes with his hand while Thor simply stared at the ground. Steve was comforting Pietro, who looked like he might cry, and Clint looked like he absolutely despised himself. But despite their feelings, not one of them stepped forth to save her. 

They were handing her over to the enemy. 

Suddenly, Wanda had an idea. It was a long shot, but it was her only chance. She had to make them see the truth. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the hell she was about to go through. Then, using all the energy she had left, she summoned her telepathy. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last chapter! I might try to write a sequel eventually, but that'll just depend on stuff. Hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

The pain was unbearable. 

The combination of the electricity from the restraints and Mastermind’s hold on her mind forced her body into a state of pure agony. It was as if every nerve in her body were on fire. Wanda screamed in pain and struggled against her bonds, but she couldn’t break free. 

She was running out of time. 

Wanda could barely think with all the pain, but she knew she only had a few more precious seconds before she would be taken away. She threw every ounce of strength she had left into her telepathy. Her eyes glowed red as she visualized spears of red energy shooting from her head and penetrating her friends’ overtaken minds. The pain intensified, but Wanda didn’t back down. She was an Avenger, after all, and Avengers never gave in.

Suddenly, the pain started to lessen, and Wanda began to hear the voices of her friends floating around in her head. 

Her telepathy was working. 

Now that the door was open, Wanda quickly shifted her focus to Mastermind and what he had done to them. All of the torture her body was going through made it harder and harder to sustain the connection, but Wanda held on. She could hear her friends screaming inside her head as she drew back the curtain on the cruel production Mastermind had forced them to take part in and reintroduced them to their dark reality. 

Once all of her energy had been drained from her body, Wanda slowly removed herself from the Avengers’ minds. The electricity that had been coursing through her veins faded, causing Wanda to sigh in relief. She looked over to where her friends had been standing. They all looked to be in various stages of horror and confusion. Tony had dropped to his knees and seemed to be having a panic attack. Natasha was visibly shaking with both of her hands covering her mouth. Bruce had turned several shades greener, but it wasn’t because of the Hulk returning. Wanda was assured of that when he turned to throw up in some nearby bushes. They all, in one way or another, seemed to be internally debating which reality to believe in.

Wanda only hoped they would choose hers.

Just as she was about to call out to her friends, she felt strong hands wrap around her throat. 

“I’m afraid your condition is too much for us to handle,” Mastermind whispered in Wanda’s ear as he tightened his hold on her neck. Wanda gasped like a fish out of water. Her lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, and dark spots began contaminating her vision. She desperately needed air. 

Mastermind continued, “I’m sure your friends will understand. You are a danger to everyone around you, and it would just be too risky to keep you alive. But don’t worry, I’ll take good care of –”

Mastermind was cut off by a large fist connecting with his jaw. Freed from his deadly hold, Wanda drew in large gulps of air. Once her vision cleared, she saw that Thor had been the one to save her. He picked Mastermind up as if he weighed no more than a doll and threw him several yards away. 

“I am so sorry I did not believe you before, Wanda,” he said as he undid her restraints, “but I assure you my mind now knows what is right.”

There was a deep sadness in his voice, but Wanda didn’t say anything. They all would mourn once Mastermind was brought to justice. 

Wanda slid her legs off of the stretcher and placed her feet on the ground. She tried to stand but collapsed immediately. Thor caught her and slung one of her arms over his shoulder. Together they made their way over to where the others had gathered around the unconscious Mastermind. 

“I say we slit his throat,” Natasha growled. 

Wanda looked around at the others. A few of them, such as Thor, Clint, Steve, and Natasha, seemed to have accepted what Wanda had shown them, even if they weren’t happy about it. Bruce and Tony, however, were still struggling. Wanda understood why. They were both scientists, after all, and something of this magnitude didn’t seem possible. But regardless of whether they believed or not, no one opposed the Black Widow’s proposal. Wanda couldn’t say she did either.

Before Natasha could carry out her plan, however, Mastermind’s body vanished. 

“Now, now, now, Natasha, that wouldn’t be very nice, would it?” a familiar voice called out.

Wanda froze. The voice hadn’t been Mastermind’s.

It was Pietro’s.

The Avengers whipped around to see Pietro standing smugly about twenty feet away. Thor immediately yelled in anger and started charging the man, but it proved to be fruitless. Pietro had surrounded himself with the same kind of sparking green energy Mastermind had been encased in when he had expelled Vision from Wanda’s mind. As soon as he made contact with it, Thor was thrown back several yards and nearly crashed into Steve. 

“Now do you get it? This is my world. I created it, and therefore I control it. You never stood a chance,” he taunted. “But why would you want to leave anyway? I have worked very hard to keep you all comfortable. Why go back to the real world where there’s no such thing as a happy ending?”

“Oh there will be a happy ending,” Clint assured darkly, “when my friends and I kill you in the slowest and most painful way we can come up with.”

Pietro looked unfazed. “Maybe I should try a different tactic,” he shrugged. His eyes glowed white, and soon he was no longer alone.

All of their families had joined him.

“If you do not wish to accept the perfect lives I have given you, then I suppose I should honor your decision,” Pietro announced. 

Suddenly, Thalia and Jane began to scream as blood began pouring from their eyes, nose, and mouth. They dropped to their knees.

“Daddy, it hurts!” Thalia cried. 

“Thor, please help us!” Jane begged.

Wanda looked over at Thor. She had never seen the Asgardian so shaken. His eyes were glossed with tears, and his skin was very pale. He seemed to barely be holding on to the truth. It filled Wanda with even more hatred for Mastermind. She didn’t see how anyone could be so sadistic.

“It’s not real, Thor,” Steve said putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to it.”

Sharon was the next to go down, followed by Pepper and the Bartons. Claire was the last to fall. 

Wanda could barely stand the sight of her teammates as they listened to their loved ones’ cries. Steve, as the team leader, tried at first to be strong, but when Bucky suddenly appeared and joined the others he sank to his knees and broke down. Natasha and Bruce were holding each other tightly, each whispering assurances to the other. Clint was covering his ears and yelling profanities at Mastermind. 

Tony was by far the worst.

It seemed as if he had decided that screams so realistic couldn’t be fake. Tony tried to run to his wife, but before he could reach her he was repelled by the electric green energy surrounding her. He repeated the process several times until he didn’t have the strength to get up anymore. When that happened, he curled into a fetal position and murmured fervent apologies to Pepper. 

“See what happens when you don’t appreciate the gifts people give you?” Pietro called. They almost couldn’t hear him over the screams of their loved ones. “Bad things happen.”

“You’re a monster,” Wanda yelled. 

Pietro tilted his head. “Why are you so upset, Wanda? I haven’t even gotten to you yet.”

With that, Mastermind reverted to his true form. His eyes glowed white once again, and Pietro reappeared beside him. 

“Wanda, I’m so sorry!” he said. “I should have protected you better. I should never have suggested we volunteer for Strucker’s experiments. All of this is my fault.”

Wanda knew that Pietro wasn’t real. She knew he was only an illusion Mastermind created. But when he started screaming in pain like the others, all she could think about was the fact that Pietro was real. Mastermind hadn’t created him from some familial desire he had found inside of her. Pietro had actually been her brother, and he had died. He had died, and she hadn’t been able to save him. 

And now it was happening all over again.

Wanda fell to the ground and buried her face in her hands. She couldn’t take it. It was too much to handle. She just wanted to make it stop. 

She wanted it all to stop.

Suddenly, she realized something. She had thought getting everyone to believe was the way to escape Mastermind’s realm, but maybe it wasn’t them she should have been concentrating on. 

She took a deep breath in preparation for what she was about to do. She was still very weak from all she had been through, and what she planned to do could kill her if it didn’t work. Still, she had to try. 

Wanda slowly pushed herself up. Her joints ached, and she was extremely exhausted, but she did her best to put her physical pain aside. Using her teammates’ suffering to fuel her determination, she shakily took a step forward and began to clear her mind.

Mastermind chuckled. “What exactly do you plan on doing, Wanda? You don’t actually think you can defeat me, do you?” 

“Avengers do not think. They know,” she declared.

She summoned her powers with everything she had. Tendrils of red energy snaked from her fingertips and began swirling around her. She willed them to grow bigger and bigger until they collided to form a massive cyclone. Then, just as her vision started to become spotted once again, she threw her arms towards Mastermind and commanded the wave to follow. 

Mastermind cried out as the red energy penetrated his shield and crashed into him like a tidal wave. The sky above them turned completely black, and the neighborhood around them slowly faded from existence. 

It was working.

“No! This is my world! You cannot defeat me in my own world!” Mastermind wailed as Wanda’s red energy continued to overtake his green. The families collapsed, seemingly dead, but Wanda didn’t check on her teammates. She couldn’t allow herself to let up at all.

Wanda fell to her knees, no longer having the strength to remain conscious. She looked over to where her brother lay bleeding with the others.

“I’m so sorry, Pietro,” she whispered as the darkness overtook her.  
––––––––––––––––––––––

Her head hurt.

Correction. _Everything hurt._

Wanda groaned softly as she peeled her eyes open. Every inch of her body ached, and her head was throbbing painfully. Thankfully, the room she was in was fairly dark. 

She slowly sat up and took in her surroundings. There was no furniture to be seen, and the walls were made of some kind of dark stone. Her fellow Avengers lay about the floor, all unconscious but seemingly uninjured. 

Wanda was about to get a closer look when the realization hit her. 

She had lost Pietro again.

The wound had only just begun to heal, and Mastermind had violently reopened it. She would have to get used to living without her brother all over again. Tears pricked the sides of Wanda’s eyes. She wasn’t sure if she could handle it.

The sounds of her teammates waking up forced her to pause her mourning. She watched silently as they all took in their surroundings as she had done. They all seemed dazed and confused as first, but soon the realization hit them as it had hit her. They were back in the real world where none of their happy endings existed. 

Nobody said anything. The silence was heavy with grief and anger. Wanda studied her friends’ reactions. Steve looked around frantically, as if he desperately wanted to comfort someone but didn’t know who needed it the most. Natasha, unlike when they were in Mastermind’s world, turned away from Bruce and tried to avoid eye contact at all costs. Tony’s face was hidden in his knees, and he was shaking slightly.

“I never wanted kids anyway,” he said at last. His voice broke a little, but no one commented on it. They were all stuck in their own tragedies. 

Natasha was the next to speak. “Mastermind is going to pay for this,” she growled. The Black Widow was angry. Very angry.

Speaking of angry, Bruce did not seem to be holding up well at all. Wanda’s eyes widened as she noticed his skin was turning slightly greener, and his muscles were beginning to swell. 

“Bruce?” Wanda asked unsteadily, causing the rest of the group to stare at him.

“I’m…fine,” he said through heaving breaths. “I had just… gotten used to… not having _him_ around. I’ll be okay in a minute.”

“Dealing with this is not going to be easy,” Steve said sadly, still keeping a nervous eye on Bruce, “but right now we need to put our emotions aside and deal with the situation at hand. Wanda, is there anything you can do to protect our minds from being taken by Mastermind again?”

Wanda sighed. If she were being honest she probably couldn’t even walk by herself, let alone use her powers. But despite how much her body told her it was a bad idea, she found herself agreeing to try.

She slowly stood up using the wall to keep herself balanced. She then summoned her telepathy. She started with Bruce because with the Hulk it would take the most energy to protect him. She reached into his mind and created a barrier of red energy around its center. Once she was satisfied he would no longer be susceptible to Mastermind’s attacks, she retreated from his mind and did the same for the others. She almost didn’t have the strength for Thor, but luckily the Asgardian needed very little power to protect his advanced mind. An overwhelming feeling of dizziness came over her as she finished, but she did her best to hide it. At least now her friends were safe from Mastermind’s influence. 

Steve sent a nod of thanks towards Wanda. “Now that that’s taken care of, we need to break out of here. Thor, would you care to get the door?”

“It would give me great pleasure,” Thor declared, a thirst for vengeance prominent in his voice. He stretched his hand out, signaling that he was calling Mjolnir. The hammer crashed through the wall less than a minute later, leaving a gaping hole in the structure. 

“Let’s go get ourselves a dead man,” Tony said darkly. 

Wanda was only able to make it two steps before the dizziness and exhaustion caused her to collapse. She hit the ground hard, causing her to see stars. 

“Wanda, are you okay?” Bruce asked as he knelt beside her. 

“I suppose the battle against Mastermind has left me weaker than I thought,” she answered softly. 

“Then let us handle it from here, Wanda,” Steve said as he slid his arms under her knees and back and gently lifted her off the ground. “You’ve done more than enough.” 

Wanda only nodded in response. She was too tired to argue. She just wanted to go to sleep. She needed to go to sleep. Even if it was just for a minute or two…

The sound of gunfire jolted Wanda from her slumber. She didn’t know how long she had been out, but she did notice she was no longer in Steve’s arms.

“Sam?” she questioned, confusion lacing her tone.

“Welcome back,” he greeted. 

“What is happening?”

“The others are fighting off Mastermind’s hired guns while I get you to safety. The quinjet is right outside the compound,” Sam replied as he carried Wanda through the dark halls. 

“I want to help the others,” Wanda insisted.

Sam chuckled. “I admire your dedication, but I’m afraid the only thing you could do right now is try to fall on Mastermind when you pass out.” 

Wanda sighed but didn’t protest. Sam was right. She wouldn’t be useful in this fight.

They traveled through the halls until they came to a large hole in the wall that led outside. Wanda could see the quinjet about fifty yards away and almost cried in relief at the sight. She knew the quinjet would take her home – her real home – and that sounded like absolute heaven at this point. 

Sam carried her up the ramp and laid her on a stretcher. He then removed his wings and sat down beside her.

Wanda raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you go help the others?”

“I promised Steve I wouldn’t leave you,” he replied. “Besides, I can pretty much guarantee that they’re not the ones who need help.”

Wanda nodded in acceptance. She had seen the expressions her friends had been wearing and was extremely glad they weren’t intended for her. Mastermind was going to die slowly and painfully, but Wanda held no sympathy for the man. She only wished she was strong enough to get in on the fun. 

“So from what I’ve heard you're the MVP of all this,” Sam said, pulling Wanda from her dark thoughts. 

“I blacked out four times,” Wanda snorted. 

“True, but the others told me you also defeated Mastermind in his own realm. If it wasn’t for you, you all would still be trapped there.”

“You would have freed us anyway.”

Sam shook his head. “I think you’re overestimating us. I’m not saying we aren’t awesome, but we weren’t making much progress on getting into the base until you guys opened the door. Every time we tried, Mastermind sensed it and forced us to retreat. Vision’s really the only one who did anything useful.”

Vision.

Hearing someone else talk of him as if he existed reaffirmed Wanda’s relief that they were back in the real world. Here, Vision wasn’t some figment of her imagination. Here, everyone knew him.

“Who else came?” she asked.

“Other than Vision and me, Rhodes and Barnes.”

“Bucky?”

It was true that Bucky had been getting better and that the Avengers trusted him, but he very rarely followed them into combat. They learned very quickly that fighting often triggered flashbacks and caused him to revert back to the Winter Soldier. Once this happened, usually Steve was the only one that could bring Bucky back. 

“He insisted when he found out Steve had been mind controlled,” Sam replied. 

“I see,” Wanda said. It made sense that Bucky didn’t want Steve to go through the same thing he had. 

The pair fell into a comfortable silence. Wanda could hear heavy gunfire coming from the inside of the base, but when it was followed by the Hulk’s angry roar and the crackling sound of thunder any qualms she had immediately went away. She looked over to Sam. He was sitting perfectly relaxed with his arms crossed against his chest. It was obvious he wasn’t worried either. Their team could handle this.

Suddenly, Sam put his hand up to his ear.

“Rhodes, what’s your status?” he asked. 

Wanda couldn’t hear the reply, so once Sam got off the comm, she looked at him expectantly. 

“They got Mastermind,” he said simply.

“Did they kill him?”

Sam nodded. “Saying they killed him would be an understatement. Needless to say, he won’t be bothering any of you ever again.” 

A feeling of satisfaction rose inside Wanda at the news. Mastermind had gotten what he deserved. As she lay on the stretcher, Wanda watched heavy smoke drift from the windows of the compound as it continued to be destroyed from the inside. It made her happy that the place where they suffered so much would soon be no more. 

“So what happens now?” she questioned. She had no idea how she and the other Avengers were going to overcome this. Mastermind had done some serious emotional damage.

Sam shrugged. “Personally, I figure you guys deserve a vacation – some time to deal with everything. But for now, I think you should get some rest. No offense, but you really look like you’ve been put through the wringer.”

Wanda sighed. “I suppose I do. Thank you, Sam.”

“Superman don’t need thanks for saving lives,” he said with a big grin. 

Wanda chuckled and rolled her eyes playfully. She could always count on Sam to keep things light even in the darkest of situations. Her eyes grew heavy once more, and she allowed herself to slip into blissful unconsciousness.   
–––––––––––––––––––––––––

Wanda woke up and was surprised to find she was in her room. Her real room. In Avengers Tower. She looked over to the clock on her nightstand and found it to be four o’clock in the evening. Wanda furrowed her eyebrows. It had been the early morning when they had broken out of the compound. That meant she must have been asleep for hours. 

Nevertheless, she felt much better than she had. Some of her strength had been restored, and the pain in her head had been reduced to a dull ache. 

She decided she should check on the others. She slowly got out of bed, pleased to find she could support her own weight. She took a few shaky steps towards her door.

Then she saw the picture.

It was a picture of their family, taken just a week before their parents were killed. It was the last picture their family had taken before everything fell apart. Pietro had carried it with him in his pocket since the day they were rescued. It was one of the few physical possessions he allowed himself to keep. 

Seeing the picture made Wanda’s stomach drop and tears well up in her eyes. She vividly remembered the moment Clint had given it to her while showing her Pietro’s lifeless body. Somehow, it had remained intact throughout the battle. When she had moved into the tower, she had asked Tony to frame it for her. Now it sat on her dresser as a reminder of what she had lost. 

Of course, it had gotten easier. It had been almost three years since their battle against Ultron, and every day she had gotten more and more used to living without him. 

But now she felt just as bad as the day it happened.

Being in Mastermind’s world and being with Pietro had reminded her how badly it hurt that he was gone. It was as if every bit of progress she had made since that day had been obliterated, and she had a feeling it would take twice as long for her to return to where she had been. She told herself she would be okay eventually, however. She would just need the support of her friends.

Her friends.

Wanda had gotten distracted by her own grief and forgotten her previous mission. She needed to see her friends and make sure they were okay. 

Wanda wiped the tears from her face and resumed her path to the door. She stepped into the silent hallway then began making her way to the elevator. She pressed the button for the common floor, and when she arrived she was met with a shocking sight. 

All of the couch cushions had been placed on the floor, and Steve and Bucky were laying on top of them. The TV was playing an American movie Wanda had never seen before, but she could tell it was very old. Steve had fallen asleep at some point and had been covered with a blanket. 

“I remembered we used to do this a lot as kids,” Bucky said quietly. “I thought maybe it would help him feel better.” 

Wanda nodded in acceptance. “Do you know where the others are?”

“Bruce and Tony are up there,” he replied, pointing up to the transparent walls of the lab. Wanda could see the two men working furiously to keep themselves busy and decided it would be best not to disturb them. She doubted they would take the time to notice her if she went up there anyway. 

Bucky continued. “Clint and Natasha are in the gym sparring, and Thor flew off a while ago. I think he said something about needing to visit someone. Probably Jane. Wilson and Rhodes went to SHIELD to debrief Coulson.”

“And Vision?”

“I’m not sure. Last time I saw him was when he carried you to your room. I don’t know where he went after that.”

Wanda thanked Bucky then headed back to the elevator. She pressed the button that would take her to the training floor. Normally, she knew better than to interrupt Clint and Natasha while they were training, but she really needed to see them. She had always been comfortable with them, and now comfort was something she greatly needed.

She arrived at the gym a few minutes later and quietly entered. Just as Bucky had told her, Clint and Natasha were sparring. However, Wanda noticed they lacked their usual sharpness. She began to think that perhaps now would not be a good time to interrupt them, but she still didn’t want to leave. She crept a little closer, doing her best not to be seen, and hid behind a piece of workout equipment. She saw that Natasha’s eyes were red and puffy. Clint showed no signs of having cried, but Wanda did sense a bit of guilt coming from him. She understood why he would feel that way. His family was real, so he had no idea what it was like to love a child so much only to find out she had been a mere illusion. His happy ending – for the most part, anyway – existed in the real world. 

Wanda didn’t know how long she had sat and watched them before the two assassins finally ceased their sparring.

“You don’t have to hide, Wanda,” Natasha said as she wiped her sweaty face with a towel. “If we didn’t want you here we would have told you a long time ago.”

“I’m sorry,” Wanda said sheepishly as she emerged from her hiding place. “I did not want to disturb you.”

“It’s okay, Wanda. You weren’t disturbing us. It’s actually nice to see you up and walking. You’ve been asleep for hours,” Clint said.

Wanda gave a small smile. “I’m feeling much better now. Physically, anyway.”

“And the nonphysical?” Natasha questioned.

“I suppose I am doing as well as I can be,” Wanda said with a sad sigh. “It just really hurts to have to get over losing him all over again. It was hard enough the first time.”

Clint and Natasha nodded in understanding. They didn’t have to say anything to let Wanda know she had their support just as they had hers. That was the best thing about being an Avenger – everyone always had each others’ backs. 

_“I’m sorry to interrupt,”_ Vision’s voice said over the intercom, _“but Thor has returned and requests that everyone meet him in the common area.”_

The three Avengers exchanged glances then did as Vision had told them. When they arrived in the common area, everyone else was waiting on them.

“Greetings, my friends,” Thor began. His voice still held a grievous tone, but he was doing his best to sound cheerful. “I hope you all do not think lowly of me for leaving during this time of sorrow. I needed to see Jane after what happened. Nonetheless, the reason for my departure was for more than my own selfish motivations. I also have made arrangements for all of you to accompany me back to Asgard for a time of rest and fellowship to help us heal from the wounds Mastermind inflicted upon our emotions. That is, if you would like to.”

“Would my family be invited as well?” Clint asked with a raised eyebrow.

Thor nodded. “Yes, of course. You all may bring whomever you would like.”

There was a moment of silence as everyone considered the Asgardian’s offer. Wanda had to admit a vacation to Asgard sounded pretty exciting. She had only ever heard stories of the mythical land, but it sounded like an amazing place.

“Hell, I certainly could use a break from this God-forsaken planet. I’m in,” Tony announced, interrupting her thoughts. The cockiness that usually held a constant presence in his voice had been replaced with a dull emptiness, and the strong smell of alcohol seemed to radiate from the man.

No one said anything to him about it though. One by one, they each agreed to go on the vacation. Bruce was the last to give his support. He had been sitting in a chair by himself with his knees pulled up to his chest while Thor presented his offer. He refused to make eye contact with anyone, especially Natasha, and when he was asked to give his answer he responded with only a small nod. 

“Excellent. We will leave in two days so that you all may have adequate time to prepare. I will return to Asgard in order to oversee the arrangements for your arrival. I will be back by sundown tomorrow.”

With that, the Asgardian left them once again. Everyone slowly went their separate ways until only Wanda and Vision remained in the common area.

“I have not had the chance to thank you yet,” Wanda said. 

Vision slightly tilted his head. “What have you to thank me for? You are the one who did most of the hard work. I merely helped you get started.”

“You showed me the truth when I was living a lie. Without your intervention, I probably would have never figured things out.”

“You’re more powerful than you give yourself credit for, Wanda,” Vision insisted. “Mastermind had to put more energy into keeping you under his influence than he did for all the other Avengers combined. You are an extraordinary person.”

“I do not feel extraordinary,” Wanda admitted. “All I can think about is how happy everyone – including myself – was in Mastermind’s world. I know that it is wrong, but a part of me wishes I had never realized the truth.”

Vision put a gentle hand on Wanda’s shoulder. “It is understandable that you feel in such a way. You needn’t scold yourself for yearning to live in a perfect world. However, instead of focusing on what you lost, I would recommend finding something you can gain from this ordeal. You might be surprised at what beautiful things may rise from the ashes of tragedy.”

Wanda pondered Vision’s words as she readied herself for bed that night. She didn’t see how she could gain anything from what she had experienced. Except more emotional scars of course. He had never led her astray before, however, so she decided she would keep searching.

It wasn’t until the next day when Thor returned with the announcement that he would be proposing to Jane while they were in Asgard that Wanda started to piece it together. They may have lost the happiness Mastermind’s realm provided them, but perhaps they could make their own in the reality they lived in. They now had seen how great their lives could potentially be. Of course, they could never achieve everything Mastermind had given them – Pietro would always be dead, Ultron would never be successful, and it seemed like Earth would most always need the Avengers. But somehow Wanda knew she would be okay with that. Though the loss of her brother would forever remain as a prominent scar on her heart, Wanda had faith she could find happiness alongside her fellow Avengers. 

She just couldn’t see what it would be yet.


End file.
